27th August 2014

After a late breakfast, we watched as the ship sailed into Bergen and docked. The weather was overcast, with clouds hanging just a few hundred metres up the mountainside. Fortunately, we’d been given a berth right next to the town, so there wouldn’t be much walking to reach it.

  As soon as disembarkation began, we left the ship, only for me to realise I’d left my wallet in the cabin, so I quickly turned back. On my second attempt, I noticed that despite the predicted 18-degree temperature, it felt quite chilly. We’d originally planned to take the funicular railway up the mountain, but with the cloud level so low, there wasn’t much point. Instead, we opted to browse the charming shops along the harbour front and then visited the fish market.

With the clouds still stubbornly lingering, we decided to follow a trail around the promontory. Along the way, we stopped to visit a large church, and as we poked our heads through the doorway, assuming it was closed, and then we were ‘captured’ by an elderly lady with excellent English. She asked where we were from, then explained there was an organ recital in progress, thrusting an information leaflet into Sue’s hand and guiding us to seats. We listened politely to two pieces (quite pleasant if you’re a fan of organ music) before quietly making our way to the exit. However, we were intercepted by the lady, who gripped my hand warmly and expressed her gratitude for our attendance. As we left, we noticed two other unfortunate cruisers attempting their escape.

Continuing our trek, we reached the end of the promontory, where a small park and quay offered some lovely photo opportunities. We first chatted with a Danish couple, who kindly took a photo of Sue and me, which I then reciprocated. A young couple, dancers from the Aida Cruise ship docked next to the Oriana, joined us to chat and asked where we were from. As we continued along the trail on the far side of the promontory, the sun came out, and the clouds began to lift from the mountains, brightening our afternoon.

 

Arriving back in the centre of town, we found the base station of the funicular railway and joined a rather long queue for tickets. The line moved quickly, and within 20 minutes, we were at the top of the mountain, basking in the sun and enjoying the breathtaking views. After taking numerous photos in various poses, we wandered through the forest and stumbled upon a little house where the Trolls supposedly lived. We also went in search of the wicked witch, but sadly, she remained elusive! It was wonderfully refreshing to stroll through the pine-scented trees, away from the now intense heat of the sun.

Eventually, we reluctantly joined the much shorter queue to return to the town. We would have liked to have stayed there all day, perhaps enjoying a picnic, but that’s the downside of cruising.

Back on the pavements of Bergen, we visited a few more shops before returning to the ship.

Our first stop on board was at Al Fresco for a bite to eat, then we headed to the decks to relax, read, and soak up the sunshine while enjoying the stunning views of Bergen. We watched the Sail-away party at the stern, where Union Jack flags were handed out to passengers, and everyone joined in singing and dancing to patriotic songs. The highlight, I think, was when flags were fervently waved, and voices strained to the tune of ‘Rule Britannia’ as we sailed past the Aida, a Danish ship full of our German friends. Her decks were packed with passengers watching our departure, and some of them did wave back (quislings!).

Sue stayed on deck while I sought refuge in the sanctuary of Al Fresco for coffee and a pasty, enjoying a view of the little islands along the Norwegian coast as we sailed by, a perfect picture.

The first entertainment of the evening was a comedy and magic act. The star of the show was a Cuban performer who was brilliant. His comedy was risky and often insulting to some members of the audience; he took no prisoners, but it was highly amusing for those of us lucky enough to avoid the sharp end. Sue came close to being picked on a couple of times but managed to hide, almost crawling under the seat. At times, I was nearly in tears with laughter. The magic was impressive, too.

We had a full table at dinner, mostly chatting about the day’s activities, and all agreeing that we’d given Aida a good British broadside!

The Four Tunes were our late-night entertainment. There were four singers from West End shows who had come together to form a boy band. They were excellent and earned a standing ovation from most of the audience. Sue again came close to being singled out when the singers asked if anyone named Sue was in the crowd. Amazingly, another Sue was sitting two rows in front of us, and when she raised her hand, she had to endure four men singing a love song to her. My Sue, meanwhile, sat quietly and in silence throughout.